A Day is All it Takes
by ShanandRay
Summary: So exactly how many days does it take to meet and fall in love? For Fabian and Nina, only one. AU
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own HoA. All rights go to Nickelodeon.**

"_Nina, you have to come to my cousin's wedding with me this weekend!" my best friend, Amber, insisted._

_I was in England for a month on vacation with my Gran over summer vacation. I had met Amber my second day here, and she and I had been best friends since. I left next week, but Amber had talked me into applying for a scholarship at her boarding school. I had been accepted, and I would be back in late August to attend school with her._

_She was now trying to convince me to go with her to her cousin's wedding (whom I had never met before), but I was firmly refusing to._

"_No, Amber! For the last time, I'm not going to a wedding where I know absolutely no one there!"_

"_But you'll know me! And my parents and brother will be there. Please, my cousin already said I could invite a friend! I told her all about you, and she wants to meet you. Pleeeeeeaaaaasssseeeee?"_

_I sighed, knowing I would never win this. "Fine."_

"_Eeeeeeeep!" she squealed, doing her little happy dance._

So there I was, remembering that 'fine' I thought I would regret for my whole life while Amber dressed me for her cousin, Elaine's and her fiancée, Charlie's wedding. She was clearly enjoying herself as she dressed me in a white lace cardigan (**picture the one Mara wears with the leopard print dress during her goth stage, but this one has a little frill wear it ends at the elbow. And it's white, of course.)** under a strapless periwinkle dress with a pleated skirt and a white sash that made a bow by my left side. She gave me some simple black flats and pinned a black rhinestone clip in my sandy brown hair. She left my makeup simple, adding nothing but mascara, lip gloss, and a little blush.

"Okay. You're perfect," Amber approved finally, backing away and grinning at her creation.

"THANK YOU!" I cried, quickly running from the room and down the stairs.

"Nina, is everything okay?" Amber's brother, Parker asked. He was about a year and a half younger than us, but he was more mature than Amber in many ways. "I could hear you screaming from downstairs."

I laughed. "Yeah, I'm fine. Amber went all girly on me again. Obviously."

He laughed with me. "Um, yeah. I can see why you would have been screaming. But, her work obviously paid off. You look fantastic."

I blushed. "Thanks. And that reminds me—shouldn't you be getting your tux on?"

His eyes widened. "Darn it. Yeah, I have to go. I'll see you in a while." He quickly ran down the hall and to his room.

I rolled my eyes. Everyone in this family was absolutely loony, but I loved them anyway. I went downstairs while I waited on Amber, sitting on a barstool in the kitchen while I spoke to Mrs. Millington.

"Oh yes, Amber will be excited to see her relatives again. Her aunt and uncle, her grandparents, and Elaine. Fabian, not so much, because she sees him at school, but she'll be ecstatic to see the rest of her cousins," Mrs. Millington was telling me.

"Who's Fabian?" I asked curiously.

"Oh, it's Elaine's little brother. He is the same age as you and Amber and attends the boarding school she goes to. They actually stay in the same house during school. He'll be the best man in the wedding today."

"Who?" Amber asked, walking into the room in her frilly dress. It was surprisingly not pink, but a mint green. "Fabian? Oh my goodness, you'll absolutely _love _him! He's really sweet, not to mention the smartest guy to ever exist. I can't _wait _for you to meet him!"

"Whoa, Amber. The wedding is in two hours. I'll meet him then. Don't have an aneurism on me, okay?"

So Amber was thoroughly excited about me meeting him for the next couple hours. We drove out to the huge estate that the Rutter family owned, Amber bouncing in the car the whole way there.

My mouth dropped when I saw the house. It was a huge two story house with columns and a wraparound porch. There was a huge garden and a little pond out front, and the grass was as green as emeralds.

Amber giggled at my reaction. "Wait till you see the inside and backyard." She linked arms with me and we walked to the backyard. A huge chapel was set up out there—four hundred white chairs facing a flowered altar, a huge banquet was being set up off to our left with about seventy-five tables and another where presents for the bride and groom were collecting. A monstrous cake rested in the center of the banquet table.

"Um, wow," seemed to be all I could say.

Amber giggled, but stopped abruptly when she saw someone. "Auntie Belle!" she cried, quickly walking toward a blonde-headed woman that looked a lot like herself. She did let go of my arm, quickly pulling me with her as she went to greet the woman.

"Oh, Amber, dear! How have you been?" the woman asked, hugging her with one arm.

"Oh, fantastic! And you?"

"Wonderful, of course. Elaine has been dying to see you! You two will have to catch up at the reception!"

"Oh, I'm sure we will. Auntie Belle, this is my best friend, Nina Martin. She's from America, and she is going to come to school with Fabes and I this year!"

"Oh, how lovely! Well, Nina, we have certainly heard a lot about you around here. You know, Amber does have a rather large mouth. I'm sure Fabian will be delighted to hear you will be staying with them."

"Ah, Nina Martin, eh?" said a man with dark brown, slightly graying hair and turquoise eyes. "Yes, we have heard very much about you. I am Robert, Fabian and Elaine's father." He took her hand and kissed it.

"Pleasure to meet you. Both of you! Your house is positively spectacular!" I complimented.

Mrs. Rutter laughed. "Thank you. I certainly spent a fair share of time designing it. Fabian is actually in line to inherit it. Elaine and Charles will go to live on his family's estate after they are gone, and Fabian and his future wife will probably settle down here."

"And then I'll get to come visit all the time!" Amber interjected, lightly clapping her hands at the thought.

I laughed.

"So, Nina, Amber told us you had a boyfriend in America. What does he think about you attending boarding school in Europe?" Mr. Rutter queried.

"Oh, he actually didn't take it too well. He and I broke up right after I told him. He said a long-distance relationship wouldn't work out well," I replied, frowning slightly as I remembered that awful conversation we had had over the phone.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! That is awful!" Mrs. Rutter exclaimed.

"It's alright. It just wasn't meant to be. I'll find the right person some day." I shrugged it off, not dropping the smile I was giving them.

"Well, Nina Martin, it seems I've only known you five minutes and I can already tell you are a wonderful young lady. Wise, beautiful, humorous, independent. There really should be more people like you," Mrs. Rutter observed to my utter embarrassment.

I blushed, and they were distracted by a friend of theirs before I could respond again. Amber linked arms with me once more and we turned away.

"That was _so_ weird," she said. "Auntie Belle and Uncle Robert don't like _anybody_. And yet there they were practically _panting _over you. Spooky."

I laughed. "Well what if I'm just a likable person, Amber?"

Amber looked at me before shaking her head sarcastically. We both laughed and continued walking. I met her grandmother and grandfather, as well as a few of her other cousins. All of them approved greatly of me, for some reason I couldn't understand.

"Oh, goodness! I think we need to go sit down. The ceremony starts shortly!" Amber's cousin, Opal declared, looking at her boyfriend's watch.

So Amber and I went and got our seats near the front. We spoke for a few minutes, then music started playing. Mrs. Rutter walked down the aisle with some boy, followed by—I assumed—Charles' parents.

"Mr. and Mrs. Ericson," Amber muttered as they passed. Then a boy that looked like a much younger and more handsome of Mr. Rutter came down, escorting a blonde girl in a pink dress. "And that is Fabian and Lisa. Lisa is Elaine's best friend, and you obviously know who Fabian is." She told me the names of all the other bridesmaids and groomsmen as they walked past as well. Then came a blonde girl in a beautiful white gown escorted by Mr. Rutter. Elaine.

I looked at the altar to see a sandy-haired man staring at Elaine in awe. I assumed it was Charles. He seemed to be in complete bliss in that moment, watching his bride-to-be come down the aisle. It made me long for the day I would get married, hoping my fiancée would look at me with the same sparkle in his eyes as I saw in Charles' that moment.

Then my eyes somehow locked with Fabian's. His were a deep turqiouse, so much more clear than his father's. I saw his deep intake of breath as he held my gaze, and his foot moved slightly toward me.

My eyes widened, thinking he might somehow walk over in the middle of the ceremony.

"Oh my gosh! You and Fabian _totally_ just had a moment. That is so adorable!" Amber's voice brought me back to the present. I quickly snapped out of my trance, finally tearing my eyes away from Fabian's.

"Did not," I muttered quietly. We had not just had a moment, had we? I had never even spoken to him before! And yet I felt some sort of strange draw to him, as if gravity were pulling me toward him. I noticed Fabian looking at me during the "I do's", a confused look in his eyes. I definitely knew the feeling. I spent the rest of the ceremony trying to figure out what on earth had happened when we looked at each other.

We all applauded when they were declared husband and wife. We followed them down the aisle and dispersed around the yard to socialize.

"Hello, Amber," said a cute English accent. We turned around to see none other than Fabian Rutter. As soon as he recognized me, though, his eyes locked with mine once again. "Um, hi. I'm Fabian Rutter," he said quietly to me, holding his hand out.

I shook it lightly, saying, "I'm Nina Martin." We just stared at each other, not paying attention to the people around us. Four seconds or four years could have passed, and I wouldn't have realized it while I was staring into those deep blue orbs.

Only when Amber cleared her throat did I realize we had stopped shaking hands, and were now just holding them in between us. We quickly withdrew them, blushing slightly.

"Um, right. Sorry. It's nice to meet you," he said, suddenly kind of shy.

"Nice to meet you, too," I told him. And it certainly was.

Trust me.

"So, are you happy for Ellie and Charlie? They probably make the second cutest couple at this wedding!" Amber asked him, trying to distract us.

"Second? Who is the cutest?"

Amber grinned slyly. "Oh, they aren't _actually _a couple yet, but I'm sure they will be by the time the reception is over."

"Um, Amber? Aren't the bride and groom supposed to be the cutest couple at their _own_ wedding?" I asked.

"Usually. Unless there is a case of love-at-first-sight is occurring between certain teenagers at the wedding."

I rolled my eyes. "You're right, Amber. That makes total sense. Thank you for clearing that up."

Fabian grinned. "Sorry, Amber, but Nina's right on this one. You make no sense whatsoever."

"Oh, I just remembered! You are _never _going to believe this! Your parents _like _Nina! Like, I seriously think they want to adopt her, like her. It was spooky."

"Are you serious? Mum and Dad? Actually _liking _someone outside of our family? Has that _ever _happened?"

"I know! It was insane!"

"What was insane?" Mrs. Rutter's voice asked from our left. We looked to see her approaching arm-in-arm with her husband.

"Oh, all the drama we went through to get Nina's scholarship to our school! But we finally did it!" Amber quickly lied.

Fabian looked shocked. "You are attending our school?"

I nodded. "Yes. I am leaving in three days, and then I'll be back a few days before term starts."

"Won't it just be fantastic having her around, Fabian? She's such a charming little lady!" Mrs. Rutter exclaimed.

"Oh, trust me, Mrs. Rutter. I definitely have my flaws. Hopefully I'll be able to spend enough time with all of you for you to see them one of these days," I told them. Honestly, I liked this family, and I really did hope to get to spend time with them.

"Oh, Auntie Belle, I forgot to ask you. Would it be alright if Nina and I stayed here for the night? Parker has football practice tomorrow, so Mum and Dad have to leave early. They can come and get us in the morning," Amber asked her aunt.

"Of course you can! You and Nina can stay in the guest suite tonight if you wish."

"Thank you!" Amber grinned the Millington-family smile, the one that no one could ever resist.

Mr. and Mrs. Rutter left again, so I turned back to Fabian and Amber.

"Oh, Fabian, guess what? Nina wants to major in political science when we go to college. Isn't that a coincidence?"

"Really? You like politics? And science?"

I nodded. "I take Honors Science back in America."

"Smart, funny, _and _cute. Interesting." His comment made me blush.

"Wow, Romeo and Juliet. I think I'm just going to go find my cousin and tell her congratulations. Bye, guys." She left without us really noticing.

"Is it really that much of a big deal your parents like me?" I asked Fabian curiously.

"Definitely. I haven't had a date since my mom threw that stiletto at Joy. She even glares at Charlie on almost a daily basis."

I laughed. "Your parents are absolute sweethearts. I don't see how they could possibly be that cruel."

"Well, Nina Martin, it seems you bring out the absolute best in my family. We may have you stick around for a while."

"I would _definitely _be okay with that."

He smiled at me. "So, what would you say about meeting my sister?"

"Sure."

So he offered me his arm to lead the way. I looped mine through his and let him take me toward the bride and groom.

"Ellie? Charlie? This is Nina Martin. You know, that girl Amber has been telling us about?" he introduced me.

Ellie grinned and looked at me. "Of course. Hello, Nina. I'm Ellie, this is Charlie. I'm so glad you could make it today!"

I smiled back at her. "Thank you for allowing me to come. The wedding is absolutely beautiful."

"All props can go to Mum and Amber on that one. They arranged the entire thing. Say, Fabian? I thought Nina was Ambsie's best friend. How did you end up having the pleasure of escorting her over? She was just over here a moment ago and said you two were talking near the banquet tables." She raised an eyebrow at her brother.

"Oh, we were. Amber introduced us, and we have just been talking. I decided she should come meet you."

"I see. Well then, Fabian, I am going to make it your mission tonight to make sure she feels welcome in the Rutter estate. You are not to leave her side, understand?" She smiled mischievously, and I could see Amber standing about thirty feet away, clapping as if she had put Ellie up to this.

Fabian blushed. "I guess I could do that."

We spoke with Elaine for a bit, but then Charlie announced that it was time to eat, so Fabian led me over to the banquet tables. There were two seats available at the Millingtons' table, so he pulled out a chair for me there and then sat next to me.

"Well, Nina, I can see you met Fabian," Mr. Millington observed. Judging by the looks on their faces, I could tell Amber hadn't filled them in on the little plan I could tell she had conjured up.

Fabian leaned over and whispered in my ear. "Do you want to fool Amber?" he asked.

"Duh," I whispered back.

"Act like we are a couple."

I blushed a little, but Fabian spoke aloud to everyone else before they could ask why. "Oh, yeah. She and I _really _hit it off. Who knows? Maybe it'll be our wedding Amber has to plan next."

Amber did a spit take off to the side. "Really? My matchmaking skills worked? Yes, I'm a genius! I _knew _you two would get together tonight!"

I grinned and held Fabian's hand on top of the table. "Wait, Amber, you knew we would get together? You planned this?" I faked being shocked.

"Well, of course I did! And _it worked!_ Yes!" she squealed.

"Well, I guess it's a little too bad you're the most gullible person I've ever met! I can't believe we actually tricked you like that!" Fabian and I laughed and gave each other high-fives.

They all just looked at us like we had told them we were having a baby.

"Did Nina Martin just get Fabian Rutter to pull a prank?" Parker asked, shocked.

"Actually, it was Fabian who told me to do it," I told him.

"Nina, what will your parents say?" Parker asked jokingly.

My face immediately went into a neutral mask.

"Parker! If Amber has told me about Nina's parents, I'm sure she has told you as well!" Fabian snapped at him. Then he looked at me, his face softening immediately. "Nina, are you okay?"

I nodded, slightly hypnotized by those deep blue-green eyes. Then I looked at Parker. "Don't worry about it. You didn't mean to," I said, cutting off the string of apologies he was telling me.

We all had filet mignon with asparagus and squash for dinner, then Ellie and Charlie cut the cake. Everyone had a piece of it (lemon meringue, absolutely fantastic) then we all got up as the bride and groom had their first dance. Amber went off to dance with one of her cousins, and Parker just ditched entirely, not wishing to dance at all.

"Nina?" Fabian asked me. I looked at him and saw that he was holding a hand out to me, a silent plea in his eyes.

I instantaneously put my hand in his, relishing in the immediate warmth. Smiling, he led me to the dance floor and put one hand on my waist, holding our intertwined ones in the air. I put my free hand on his shoulder, and suddenly, we were dancing. He led me around easily, spinning me in circles as we moved to "Long, Slow, Beautiful Dance" by Rascal Flatts. I suppose the British were probably really good at ballroom dancing anyway, but it was still a lot of fun to be partners with someone so talented. He was always extremely gentle, just resting his hand on my waist, only moving away from it when he would release me to spin me under our arms.

At the end of the song, he lowered our hands and just stared at me, not even moving. Our eyes locked again, and I suddenly found myself in a pool of deep tropical water. He looked…elated. And…content? It made me wonder how his life was usually like. It seemed like they would have parties like this where he could dance with girls all the time, but I guess they didn't.

The music to some other slow song came on, and Fabian cleared his throat, making a frame once again. I snapped out of my reverie just in time for us to make the first step.

"So, what made you want to come to England for school?" he asked me.

"Well, Amber is so much nicer to me than people back home are. Sure, I had my friends there, but they definitely aren't people I would trust with a secret or something. So I thought that maybe the change would be good, and Amber convinced me to start next term."

"Well, you'll definitely like our school. So do you know which house you'll be in yet?"

I nodded. "I got all my paperwork this morning, and I am going to be in the House of Anubis."

Fabian grinned. "Really? Well that'll be interesting."

"Why?"

"That's the house Ambs and I are in. Looks like we'll all be housemates next year."

I grinned back at him. If he and I were in the same house, it would be a very interesting year indeed.

He raised our arms and spun me under them again, making my mind drift back to dancing.

I soon noticed that we were being stared at. Amber, Parker, Mr. and Mrs. Rutter, Mr. and Mrs. Millington, and even Ellie would look our way and smile every few minutes. They somehow got a kick out of Fabian and me dancing together. When I mentioned this to Fabian, he laughed and rolled his eyes, then turned to Amber and stuck his tongue out at her, never releasing me from his gentle grasp.

By this time it was twilight, and the wedding was in full swing. The adults had now had one too many sips of wine and champagne, and many of them were dancing goofily and slightly slurring words. To be honest, they sort of frightened me, only because I had lost my parents to a drunk driver. These people weren't yet drunk, but they were tipsy.

Fabian noticed when I moved slightly closer to him when of them came a little too close to us. He looked down at my concernedly, then looked up behind me, and an idea seemed to come into his mind.

"Are you alright, Nina?" he asked.

I nodded shakily. "Yeah. It's just my parents…" I trailed off, knowing he'd understand what I was saying.

He frowned slightly, then took his hand off my hip, still holding the other in his. He guided me away from the party, to the extreme edge of the lawn, where a huge garden was. It was completely secluded and out of sight from the wedding, but we could still hear the music perfectly. In the center of all the trees and bushes and flowers was a white wooden gazebo lit by twinkling lights. I paused for a moment, smiling slightly at the scene before me.

Fabian led me up the two steps then turned back to me, his face calm as his eyes twinkled with the reflection of the little lights. We no longer danced holding hands—both of his went to my waist and mine went up to his neck, and then he started twirling me around again.

"Better?" he asked.

"Much. Thank you," I replied. We danced in a comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"Nina?" Fabian asked all of a sudden.

"Yeah?"

"This boyfriend you told me about earlier (**yes, she told him when they were dancing a while ago**). Was he ever mean to you?"

"Um, I'd really rather not talk about it. I went through a really bad phase after my mom and dad died."

"Well, I'm definitely glad you snapped out of it. I think I like you just the way you are."

I grinned, blushing slightly. "So, what about your life? I mean, you and your family are obviously loaded. Yours has to be more interesting than mine."

"Not really. My mum, dad, Ellie and I have lived in this house since I was born. I started going to school with Amber at the boarding school when we were eleven, and that's just about it. I come home for the summers, and this is probably the first big event we have had since Elaine's twenty-first birthday."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Money doesn't mean that much to us."

I smiled. "That's a good thing. It makes you seem more real."

He looked confused. "Real? Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"Yeah. You're smart, sweet, funny, and gentle. If you don't care that you're rich, it just makes you seem like an even better person."

Fabian blushed. "And modest," I added, laughing.

He rolled his eyes.

"Nina? Fabian?" we heard a voice calling. Amber.

Fabian sighed. "I guess we are being missed. We should get back to the party."

I nodded nervously. Fabian's hands tightened slightly on my waist. "Don't worry. You'll be safe." He took my hand to lead me back, knowing I'd never make my way out of the maze by myself. He just dragged me behind him, and I stayed hidden behind his back once we emerged from the garden.

"Oh, there you are! Mum, Dad and I were getting worried. Is everything okay?" Amber asked.

"Yeah. Nina was just feeling a little faint, so I led her away from the party for a bit," Fabian covered.

"Ohhhh, okay. And is there a reason you two are holding hands with her hiding and just peeking over your shoulder?"

"Just support. She's still not feeling too well."

"Well, why don't you take her inside for some medicine? And she can lie down for a bit if she needs to."

"Great idea, Amber. We'll go do that." Before Amber could reply, he dragged me away from her and up to the back door. He opened the door, gesturing for me to enter first.

I paused once I stepped in. "Whoa," I said. The house was gorgeous! It was decorated with old English furniture, but it was somehow up-to-date—not to mention extremely elegant. I could definitely like living here when Fabian and I got marrie—wait, what? Fabian and I wouldn't get married! We weren't even dating! Where was my brain getting all these ideas?

"Nina? Everything alright?" Fabian asked from behind me. I heard the door shut, and I turned around to face him.

"Of course. It's just really pretty."

"Hmm. Then I guess you fit in perfectly, don't you?"

I blushed.

"Ohh, so I guess I'm not the only modest one, huh?"

I smacked his shoulder and laughed.

"Hey!" Fabian exclaimed, pretending he was hurt.

I laughed at him and turned around, preparing to walk to the living room.

As I was walking, Fabian quickly grabbed me from behind and spun me around.

I curled up in a ball, laughing hysterically. "No, Fabian let go!" I shouted as I giggled.

"My, you two certainly are made for each other, aren't you?" a male's voice asked.

I gasped, jumping from Fabian's grasp and hiding behind him. His arms outstretched slightly in a protective stance.

"Whoops, sorry. Didn't mean to startle you." The man came into view, and Fabian relaxed, taking my hand and pulling me from behind him.

"It's fine, Nina. This is my Uncle Ade. Uncle Ade, this is Nina Martin."

I let out a sigh of relief and waved. Fabian grinned down at me.

"So, Fabian. You've finally gotten finally gotten yourself a girlfriend, eh?" Uncle Ade asked, wiggling his eyebrows slightly.

"What? Oh, no. Nina and I aren't—"

"Dating," I finished. Mine and Fabian's eyes met, held for a moment, and then we busted out laughing. I couldn't believe I had just finished his sentence! It just seemed so…cliché.

"Riiiiiight. You two are not dating. Well, let me know when you decide to step out." With that, Uncle Ade went behind us and walked outside to the wedding.

Fabian took a couple deep breaths to calm himself, then looked at me. "So, I don't think you and I will be returning to the wedding. You are staying here tonight, right?"

I nodded.

"Why don't you go ahead and get dressed for bed, and then we can find something to do in here?" he suggested.

"Um…that'd be great…except for the fact that I have no pajamas."

He pursed his lips for a second, then took a step back, looking me up and down. An idea seemed to pop into his head, and he blushed slightly. "Follow me." He led me through the living room, up a spiral staircase, and down a long hallway. He opened a door to what I assumed was his bedroom. A striped comforter laid on a bed on one wall; another contained a computer; the one opposite of that had a huge book shelf full of science books; the last had a dresser, TV, and stereo system with two chairs facing it.

He went to a door by the bed and walked into a closet. He emerged a moment later with a light blue button-down shirt, blushing as he handed it to me. "That'll go a little past the middle of your thighs, so you should be fine in that."

"Thanks."

He smiled at me, then led me to a bathroom across the hall. He opened up a little package from under the cabinet, handing me the toothbrush that was in it. "Here you go. There is toothpaste and washcloths up in the cupboard. I'll be in my room if you need me."

"Thanks, Fabes." He grinned a little when I called his "Fabes" then walked out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

I quickly washed my face, brushed my teeth, and put on the shirt, rolling the sleeves up to my elbows. I gathered the dress, shoes, and cardigan and went back to Fabian's room. He had changed into plaid pants, a shirt with a wolf on it, and a grey robe.

"Whoa, that was fast for a girl." He smiled at me. He showed me the guest suite, where I set down my wedding outfit, and then led me downstairs. We went to a sitting room with a more modern couch, a huge flat screen, and about as many DVD's as a blockbuster.

"Wow," I said, staring at all the movies.

"Yeah, we definitely have a collection. Now we just have to pick one."

"It has to be sci-fi," we said at the same time, then laughed again. He took me over to a section on the far left, saying that they were all science fiction. I picked out _Inception,_ and he nodded in approval. We put it in and went to the kitchen during the previews. We quickly popped popcorn, pouring it into a bowl.

"Hey, Fabian?" I questioned.

"Yeah?"

"Got any M&M's?" I asked, thinking he would question me about my weird M&M's in popcorn addiction.

But instead, he just grinned, opening up a cabinet and pulling out two packs of them. "Wouldn't eat popcorn without them."

Smiling, I helped him pour them in the bowl, and we went back to the sitting room, settling side by side on the couch, then Fabian clicked "play" on the remote.

As we watched it, Fabian looked at me and said, "Why do girls always think Leonardo DiCaprio is so attractive?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Probably because he played just about the most romantic person of all time in _Titanic._ He _did _die for Rose in that movie, and he was definitely cute in that."

"Jack Dawson is _not_ the most romantic guy in the world," he grumbled.

I raised my eyebrow at him.

He shook his head, taking a bite of popcorn before putting an arm behind me on the couch. I don't think he even noticed he had done it, but it made me smile slightly and blush, so I was glad we had turned out the light to watch the movie. About halfway through the movie, my neck had started hurt, so I rested against Fabian and laid my head on his shoulder. His arm drifted down to my shoulders, and I grinned.

I knew I was rapidly falling for Fabian, how he was smart, funny, kind…he was really the kind of person I could see myself spending my life with.

My thoughts were interrupted by an "Aww" that came from Amber.

"That's so cute! I take it you are feeling better, Nina?" she asked, grinning slyly.

"Yeah," I replied, grinning at her.

"Well, you two missed the rest of the wedding! Everyone is heading out right now. Your mum and dad should be in in about half an hour, Fabian. They asked if you could do your chores."

Fabian sighed, moving his arm from me. "Yeah, I'll do them. Nina, you can keep watching this; I'll be back in a little while." When he got up, I stood with him.

"I'm helping," I told him.

He shook his head. "That's not fair. I'll do the chores; you enjoy the movie."

"No. Your parents are letting me stay here tonight. I'm going to help with chores."

The argument went on for about five minutes, but I finally won.

We washed all the dishes in the sink, putting them back in the cabinets. I wiped down the counter while Fabian started up some laundry. We got two brooms and swept the floor, kind of turning it into a game. He would try to sweep under my feet, so I would laugh and jump away, and then he would just follow and try it again. It ended up taking us fifteen minutes to sweep the whole kitchen, then we mopped it. We finished just as Mr. and Mrs, Rutter walked back in.

Mrs. Rutter was slightly teary-eyed about her daughter being a married adult, and Mr. Rutter would rub her arm or kiss her temple to comfort her. It made me smile as I watched them, and I was kind of disappointed when Fabian led me back to the sitting room.

"What got you smiling at my parents? You looked like you were off in la-la land."

"It just made me think about my future. Hopefully one day I'll have someone to comfort me when my kids get married and leave."

"So you want kids? How many?"

I grinned. "I've always wanted a big family. Probably four or five. And a big dog."

He thought about something for a moment, then spoke to me. "I think there is someone you should meet." He brought me upstairs and opened up a door. A huge bark echoed through the hallway, and then a huge fawn-colored Great Dane with floppy ears jumped out of the room and jumped up on Fabian, making him stumble slightly before laughing and ruffling the dog's ears.

"Chomper, how many times do I have to tell you that you aren't a puppy anymore? You are a two-hundred pound dog with big paws and sharp claws!"

I reached over and scratched Chomper's throat, making him lick my arm. "Aww, poor baby!" I said in a voice someone would use to talk to a baby. "Mean old Fabian doesn't like you anymore, does he?" He barked at this and got off of Fabian, standing in front of me, panting as I scratched his back and shoulders. "You just need a little love." I patted his back, and then he took off down the stairs.

"Hey, I love that dog! Elaine and I saved him from the shelter two years ago."

I laughed. "I can believe that. I wasn't being serious."

"Nina!" Amber called, emerging from our room. "I'm tired! Can we go to bed?"

"You can't go to sleep by yourself?"

"No! I'm scared of the dark."

I rolled my eyes, slightly annoyed with her for the interruption. "Okay, I'm not going to go to sleep for hours, but I guess I have to go to my room. 'Night, Fabian."

His eyebrows furrowed, and I could practically see wheels turning in his head. "Goodnight, Nina." He hugged me for a moment, then I went with Amber to our room.

"Oh my gosh, you and Fabian are _totally _in love," she commented as soon as she closed the bedroom door.

"We are not Amber! It makes absolutely _no _sense for Fabian to like me," I replied, hoping she wouldn't notice that I had never denied liking him.

"Whatever, Nina. I can tell that its meant to be. Just wait."

I rolled my eyes at her and went to lie down, hoping that she would think I was tired. She finally went to bed about an hour later, and I heard a knock on my door only minutes later.

I peeked out of the room to see all the house lights turned out, but Fabian was standing there holding one of those old-fashioned white candles with a little holder.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered to him.

"I want to show you something. Come on," he replied, moving away from the door to let me out.

I tip-toed out of our bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind me. Fabian then led me to a door in the hallway which opened up to a staircase. At the top of that was an attic that was fully furnished with chairs, coffee tables, and bookshelves along with the normal storage supplies neatly organized in a corner. A set of French doors opened up onto a balcony, which is where Fabian immediately brought me.

I gasped at the view. The huge green lawn spread out before me, a huge lake not far in the distance, the moon's light reflected off of its still water. Forest surrounded the left and right sides of the house, and I could see the front garden at a perfect angle. "It's beautiful," I told Fabian, looking back to see him smiling at me.

"It's okay, I guess." I could sense an underlying meaning to his words, and it made me wonder what he really meant.

I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, but I didn't comment. He moved slightly closer, something I usually wouldn't have even noticed, but when I felt his warm breath tickling my neck it kind of distracted me. It immediately made me shiver, but it wasn't necessarily from the crisp, cool night air.

However, Fabian thought it was, and he quickly shrugged off his robe and put it on me, making me blush.

"Thanks," I murmured.

"You're welcome." He looked at me again, and I was effectively distracted by how dark his eyes looked at night. They were almost a midnight blue in the dark night, and they effectively conveyed his emotions. Happiness and contentment.

"How do you do that?" I asked quietly.

That little furrow that was becoming rapidly familiar to me appeared between his eyebrows again. "Do what?" he queried.

"Somehow you always manage to completely stop my train of thought just by looking at me. Your eyes just make me go blank."

He smiled. "_You _altogether make me go blank. Your eyes, your rosy cheeks, your laugh, your smile… everything."

"How is this possible? I've only known you for seven (**it's eleven o'clock now**) hours and yet—"

"I love you. I don't know about you, but that's how it's possible for me."

Love. _Love._ He loves me!

I smiled. "I love you, too."

With that, he reached up to cup my face in his hands, then he leaned down to kiss me. He was just as gentle as he had been when we were dancing—feathery-light touches and slow, gentle movements. He handled me as if I were as fragile as a bubble. As if I might pop at any moment. He tenderly pulled away a few moments later, once again looking into my eyes, but this time they held…love?

Love.

Definitely.

I yawned slightly, making him laugh, but then he released and went inside. He reemerged a moment later carrying a bunch of blankets and two pillows. After they were spread out, he set the candle up near the pillows, and then pulled me to lie down with him. He laid flat on his back while he carefully cradled me to his side so that my entire body was facing him. I rested my head on his shoulder and my hand near his collarbone. The one blanket on top of us kept us warm, so we didn't shiver or anything as we looked at each other.

"Hmm…you were right. Jack Dawson _isn't _the most romantic guy to ever exist," I finally said. I felt a silent laughter shake through him before he replied.

"Nice to know I'm appreciated." He bent his head down and gave me a peck on my lips.

I sighed and laid my head back down on his shoulder, closing my eyes as I enjoyed the moment.

Fabian took one of his hands off my hip and bringing it to where mine rested above his heart. He took it in his, playing with my fingers as his other used his index finger to draw patterns on my side. I looked up at him and smiled, which he instantly returned.

Once the smile was gone, I noticed a vertical indention about half an inch long on his right cheek. It was a barely noticeable scar, and I never would have seen it, had I not been looking closely enough (**Brad Kavanagh really does have this scar, BTW. I noticed it in one of the last episodes.)**.

I reached my hand up to his face, making his slide down my wrist, resting on my forearm as I caressed the little mark. "Where'd you get that?"

He grinned. "A food fight at Anubis House. I ducked a little too far once, and my cheek hit the corner of the table. It scared them more than me because they saw all the blood."

"You guys had a food fight?"

"There's one at almost every meal. Jerome and Alfie are quite the rebels."

I grinned. "Who else is at House of Anubis?"

"Well, Mick is my roommate. He is really sporty, and I'm sure Amber has told you about him since they are dating. Then there is Mara, whose a major academic. Patricia is what Jerome and Alfie call a 'goth pixie'. She helps them with their schemes a lot, so they nicknamed her 'Trixie'. Patricia's best friend is Joy, the girl I brought home to meet my family once. She's kind of obsessed with the Twilight series, but she's usually kind of comedic. So that's it. Me, Amber, Mick, Mara, Jerome, Alfie, Patricia, and Joy, and now you."

"Sounds like you are all really close."

"We are. In a completely dysfunctional family sort of way."

I rolled my eyes. "I can't wait to meet them."

"They'll love you." He spoke with confidence, and I was glad he seemed so sure.

"Let's hope," I replied, lifting my head up to kiss him again.

I guess we fell asleep up on the balcony, because the next time I opened my eyes, the sun was just reaching the balcony. It seemed cold outside, but I couldn't be sure, because Fabian had me wrapped up tightly in his arms and the blanket.

He still slept peacefully, a slight smile on his face. I didn't want to wake him, but I knew we'd be asked questions if someone came looking for us. So I kissed his cheek gently, gradually moving to his lips. He had woken by the time I reached them, so he kissed me back, but it was only a little peck. "Morning," he said quietly, resting his forehead against mine. Then he quickly rolled over, pressing me between him and all the blankets.

I giggled and kissed him again. "Good morning to you, too."

He stood up then, and held his hand out to assist me. After that, we folded all the blankets and laid them back in the attic. He put his arms around me and led me downstairs.

We arrived in the kitchen, and he took my hand and spun me in a circled before pulling me to him and kissing me.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Mrs. Rutter's voice asked us.

I jumped slightly from Fabian, but he quickly pulled me back to him, and I tried to hide myself in his arms, my cheek resting on his shoulder that was furthest away from the voice. We both looked to his right to see Mr. and Mrs. Rutter and Amber looking at his with smug grins on their faces.

Fabian cleared his throat. "Good morning, everyone," he said politely.

"I KNEW IT!" Amber shouted, doing a happy dance throughout the kitchen.

"So I take it you two did in fact get together at the wedding?" Mr. Rutter asked us.

"Not technically. We didn't really get together until about midnight. We kind of fell asleep up on the balcony last night. Sorry," Fabian replied.

"Don't apologize. I trust you two, and I'm very happy to hear tat you two are together. You were very much so a topic of gossip last night. _Everyone _asked us if you two were dating."

I laughed and kissed Fabian's cheek, making him blush slightly. I don't get it! He has no problem with holding me in his arms in front of his family, but then he suddenly gets embarrassed when I kiss him on the cheek. Boys.

Amber poked out her lower lip while she smiled. "So adorable."

I rolled my eyes at her.

"So, what's for breakfast?" Fabian asked to change the topic, swaying me side to side as he spoke.

"Omelets and French toast," Mr. Rutter replied.

Fabian leaned down and pecked my lips before releasing me and pulling out a dining room chair, gesturing for me to sit.

"Thank you," I told him before sitting down. He placed a plate full of food and a glass of milk in front of me before sitting down to eat himself.

The rest of them followed us, and Mr. Rutter started a breakfast conversation. Unfortunately, it was one I didn't want to think about, much less speak out loud.

"So, Fabian, what are you and Nina going to do about being apart for a month?"

Fabian's fork paused on its way to his mouth. "I…I don't know, Dad." His voice sounded slightly strained when he spoke.

"Really? You will be thousands of miles apart for a month, and you haven't even spoken about it?"

"No, Dad, we haven't," Fabian replied, gritting his teeth.

"You have to think about these—"

"Robert. That's enough," Mrs. Rutter scolded sharply, but it was a little too late.

I spoke quickly. "I don't think I'm all that hungry anymore."

Fabian's response was instantaneous. "I'm not either." Our chairs scraped back at the same time, and we quickly strode out of the room.

As soon as we were out of sight and hearing range of the family, I quickly turned to Fabian and sobbed into his chest. "Your dad is right. What are we supposed to do? Are we really going to be apart for a whole month?"

His hands soothingly rubbed my back as he replied. "We will. But we'll still have to talk everyday. Texting, phone calls, letters, e-mail, video-chats…there are endless options. We'll talk all the time, and you'll be back in England before we know it. I promise."

"Okay. And if Civil War II breaks out, you'll come and get me, right?"

He laughed. "Yes. And if another revolution breaks out between the United States and England, you are coming here. Who needs America, anyway?"

"Certainly not me," I whispered before standing up on my tip-toes to be eye level with him. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Nina Martin." With that, he crushed his lips to mine in a passionate kiss. My hands went up to his hair as his cradled my face. A good fifteen seconds later, he pulled back, pecking my lips once…twice…three times before releasing my face, his arms wrapping back around my waist.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested against him, closing my eyes as he swayed us back and forth.

Fabian and I spent the rest of the day together, walking out in the garden, talking about our interests and families, and just enjoying each other's presence. Mrs. Millington arrived at eleven to come and get Amber and I, but Mrs. Rutter convinced her to stay for tea, so we had another hour.

I kissed him goodbye when the time came, but he and I did something everyday for my remaining time in England, then he and Amber came to the airport to see me off.

"Hey Juliet," Gran told me as we were giving our luggage to some workers. "Romeo is here to tell you goodbye." She had become very fond of Fabian in the two days she had known him, and she was very glad he'd be staying at Anubis with me. It made her feel better about sending me off to a boarding school in another country. She knew I'd be safe with him.

I turned to see, sure enough, Amber and Fabian walking in the airport doors, their eyes scanning over the crowd to find me.

"Go ahead. I'll finish up here and meet you in a minute," Gran told me, nudging me slightly toward my best friend and boyfriend.

I nodded and made my way to them.

Amber screamed and ran to hug me once she recognized me. "You have to text me everyday, and do you _swear _that you are coming to school with me next month? Oh my gosh, I can't believe you are leaving me! I'm going to miss you!" She hugged me again as I saw a few tears fall from her eyes.

"Shh, Ambs, I'll miss you, too. I'll be back soon, I promise. Don't cry. You'll ruin your makeup." That was the perfect comment to make, because she completely forgot about the tears and whipped out a mirror to make sure her mascara wasn't running.

I rolled my eyes and turned to Fabian, who looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep. "You look tired," I told him, tracing the purple shadows under his eyes.

"Yeah, well, I'm just a little worried. You see, I've got this girlfriend that I love, but she is leaving me for four weeks to go back to her home country before she comes to school with me. I just don't know what I'll do without her."

"You'll be fine. You will have Amber and your parents and Chomper to keep you busy, and before you know it, I'll be back in England. You won't even have time to miss me."

"That's where you are wrong. I miss you already."

Looking at how stressed out he was about me leaving, I found myself unable to hold in my own emotions anymore.

"I miss you, too! Oh God, Fabian, how are we going to do this? We _can't _be apart; it's just not possible!"

"I know, I know. Which is why I got you this." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a necklace with half a golden heart on it.

I wiped away a tear and looked up at him. "Where's the other half?"

He then pulled out a set of keys on which I saw the other half. "Somewhere where I know it will always be with me. Now turn around."

I did so, lifting up my hair, and he put the locket on as Amber looked at us with tears in her eyes and her hand covering her mouth.

"Thank you, Fabes. I love it." I turned around and hugged him.

"Anytime, love." He rubbed my back with one hand as he hugged me back, burying his face in my hair.

"Well, I guess I'll see you soon," I told him, looking up. He looked as if he were trying not to cry as well, and I took comfort in the fact that we would always be with each other in heart.

"Yeah. I love you."

"I love you, too."

With that, he kissed me one last time, and I gave Amber one last hug before walking back to Gran.

"Ready?" she asked, knowing it'd be better to not ask why I was crying.

I nodded, and he put a comforting hand on my back as she led me to security. Just before we turned a corner, I looked back at Amber and Fabian and waved. The two of them—hugging each other—returned it, and I saw a half-smile appear on Fabian's face as I was leaving.

"So, I guess you can't wait to be back here to be with your friends again, huh?" Gran asked.

I smiled, holding half of the heart between two of my fingers. "I'm always with them. Maybe not in body, but always in spirit. Just like they are with me. And we always will be, no matter how many miles or oceans separate us."

**Aaaaaaaaand, that's the end of that. Unless, of course, you all want another chapter? In which case I will write it, because I already have an idea for it. It would definitely be the day Fabian and Nina reunite at HoA, and it will involve all of the housemates. So let me know what you think, and I'll definitely write another chapter if you want one! Please review and thanks for reading!**

**-Shannon**


	2. Chapter 2 Author's Note HELP!

**Hey, guys. Sorry this is an author's note and not another chapter, but I need your help/**

**First of all, how is your summer going so far? Mine has been very...dramatic. One word: boys.**

**But that isn't what this author's note is about. **

**EXTREMELY unfortunately, my laptop was killed along with 7,000 words of the next chapter. And those are 7,000 words I know I could never rewrite. I've tried.**

**I lost EVERYTHING I've ever written, fanfiction stories or not. All in all, it was about 300 pages of single spaced number #12 font size stories.**

**So, I unfortunately will be unable to post the chapter where Nina meets the rest of the Anubis residents and attends their school. BUT I was working on another chapter on a different computer, which I could post if you all agreed with it. **

**The other chapter is about where the Anubis students are thirteen years later, their marriages, their kids, their careers. They all have an Anubis reunion at the Rutter's estate, and it was originally supposed to be the third chapter. **

**If you all agree to it, I can post that chapter as the second one, or the story can remain a one shot. It's totally up to you.**

**Thank you for reading. I always love reviews, and in this case, I really could use your feedback.**

**-Shannon**


	3. Chapter 3 Are you sure?

**Okay, guys, since you are all begging, I can rewrite the second chapter, but it may take a couple weeks. There was a lot of material covered, and it is going to be hard for me to remember it all off the top of my head.**

**So, despite the large amount of time it make take, do you think it is worth it? If you guys want me to, I'll rewrite the second chapter, just let me know.**

**Thanks,**

**Shannon**


End file.
